Something to Cherish
by Joycelyn Solo
Summary: [abandoned] Slightly AU Carby: Our favorite doctor has asked our favorite nurse to marry him...aaaw. Now it's planning time!
1. Why did we just drive in a big circle ar...

**Something to Cherish  
an _ER_-based fan fiction  
by: Joycelyn Solo**

~~~~~~~~~~~~  
**Author's note: **This story is a little AU compared to the _ER_ we tune into every Thursday (or whatever wherever you are) night. The timeline for this story is probably around the middle of Season 8. Susan came back to the ER, but she and John never developed a relationship because he was already involved with Abby. Hope you like.

  
**Disclaimer: **_ER_ and characters all belong to someone far more talented -- and richer -- than me. This story is meant for the amusement enjoyment of fans such as myself.

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**Chapter** **One**

"You missed the exit."

"No I didn't."

"Your grandmother's house is back there. You lived there not too long ago. I'd think you still remembered the way."

"I know where I'm going."

"Do you?" Abby crossed her arms over her chest, doubt evident on her face. "Care to enlighten me?"

"Not really." he smiled.

Abby raised a questioning eyebrow at him but didn't question further. It wouldn't get her anywhere, she knew -- John Carter, no matter how much she loved him, could be most stubborn when he wanted to be. 

Of course, she conceded, a degree of stubbornness was needed in his line of work. There weren't many people who could handle the stress of emergency medicine and, in Abby's only partially biased opinion, he was one of the best. 

"Isn't your family going to be a little upset if we're late for dinner?" 

John shrugged his shoulders. "Probably." 

"And you're not worried about that?"

"Gamma can take care of my parents."

"Oh, so your grandmother knows we're going to be late." Abby turned in her seat. "What's going on?"

"You'll see."

"Carter, you know how I feel about surprises."

John smiled widely. "You're going to like this surprise."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "How can you be so sure?"

"Trust me."

"Uh-huh. That doesn't do much for my confidence." She laughed. "The last time you told me to trust you, we needed a locksmith in the middle of the night."

He shrugged defensively. "It's not my fault you lost the key."

"Actually, it was your fault. You're the one who thought a midnight stroll in the middle of winter was a good idea. If my fingers hadn't been numb from the cold I wouldn't have dropped the keys in that snow bank."

"I told you to wear gloves."

Abby had a retort on her tongue, but she lost it as she looked again out the window. "Why are we headed back downtown?"

"Are we?" he asked innocently.

"Why did we just drive in a big circle around the city?"

No response from the driver's seat.

"Carter?"

He kept his gaze fixed on the highway.

"John?"

He noticed a smudge on the console and put his attention to rubbing it off.

"John Truman Car --"

"Hey!" he said, fixing his gaze on her. "Where'd that come from?"

Abby smiled smugly. "Your grandmother told me to use it whenever you were being particularly obstinate."

"My own Gamma? Working against me?" He managed to look shocked and hurt, even though he was far from feeling neither. He was pleased beyond words that his grandmother and Abby -- the two women he cared most about -- got along so well. 

A mischievous smile crossed his face. If only Abby knew the role Gamma was playing in his plans for the evening...

"Are you going to tell me where we're going?" Abby asked, trying once more in hopes of getting him while his defenses were down.

He sighed heavily, feigning impatience with all her questioning. He gave her the sternest look he could muster. "No. You're going to sit there. You're not going to ask any more questions. You're going to be completely surprised." he faced forward again. "And you're going to like it."  


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	2. I figured you’d want to hang with the di...

**Something to Cherish  
an _ER_-based fan fiction  
by: Joycelyn Solo**

~~~~~~~~~~~~  
**Author's note: **You like me, you really like me. Oh, alright, I'm sure it's actually John and Abby who you like, but still, the reviews mean a lot.

**Disclaimer: **_ER_ and characters all belong to someone far more talented -- and richer -- than me. This story is meant for the amusement enjoyment of fans such as myself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Chapter** **Two**

A cool breeze tugged at the blindfold John made Abby put on before they got off the highway. Moving up the steps, she was only slightly assured by the feel of John's arm wrapped around her for guidance. 

"This would go a lot faster if I could see where I was going." Abby said, bringing a hand up to move the blindfold.

John playfully slapped her hand away. "Tut, tut. We're almost there, you can be patient a bit longer." 

"You of all people know patience isn't one of my strong suits."

"Yes," he planted a kiss on her cheek. "But I love you anyway."

As the steps ended, Abby was happy to feel level ground beneath her feet...until another set of steps began again. 

Answering her question before she even voiced it, John whispered close to her ear. "We're almost there."

Though she wouldn't admit it aloud, Abby couldn't deny the rising feeling of excitement. John had obviously put a lot of thought into whatever his plans were. Despite her misgivings about the secrecy -- not to mention the annoyance of actually being blindfolded -- she was touched by his efforts. 

Sometimes it was still hard for her to accept that someone would go out of their way to do something nice for her.

"Okay." John stopped and untied the blindfold. 

Abby blinked several times, getting used to the absence of cloth. When they had adjusted to the soft light of the evening, she still blinked when she realized where they were.

"We drove around the city so we could come back to a museum that closed three hours ago?"

"This isn't just _any_ museum." John took her hand in his and lead her toward the entrance. "This is the site of our first date."

"That was a non-date, remember?"

He smiled. "It was still special to me."

"We vandalized my ex-husband's girlfriend's car."

"It was unlike any other date I've had."

"Uh-huh. I'm the only woman you've broken the law with?" 

"Twice. Don't forget the breaking-and-entering and murder of Luka's fish." 

"Speaking of breaking-and-entering..."

John opened the -- apparently unlocked -- door and she stepped into the museum lobby.

He smiled sheepishly. "I told you Gamma had connections.

"Come on." Gently pulling her along behind him, John lead her toward the marble stairway that lead to the second floor exhibit. 

"Rocks?" Abby asked, looking up at the exhibit sign. "I figured you'd want to hang with the dinosaurs after hours."

John entered the exhibit and answered over his shoulder, "Maybe next time, but there's something here I think you'll be interested in."

Unable to hide the skepticism from her voice, Abby asked, "You think I'm going to enjoy rocks?"

John stationed himself next to a display and shrugged his shoulders. "Oh, I think there's one rock in particular here you're going to be interested in."

Abby turned, smiling at his continued ambiguity, and watched as he knelt down on one knee. "What are you doing?" 

Just as the words left her mouth, she noticed the pedestal next to him. More importantly, she noticed what was standing on the pedestal. 

Laying atop the marble stand, where normally a piece of granite or something similar would sit, and surrounded by red rose petals was a small black velvet box.

Inside the black velvet box was a ring.

And not just any ring -- a ring Abby had seen Millicent Carter wear on more than one special occasion.

"What are you doing?" she repeated, taking a shaky step toward him.

John raised his eyebrows and inclined his head toward the ring. "Isn't it kind of obvious?"

Abby smiled in spite of herself and took another step toward him.

"Abby," he began, taking her hand in his when she was within reach. "I love you. Sometimes it feels like I've loved you forever, but I don't think I knew love before you came into my life. Being with you has made me happier than I have ever been." 

She smiled, her eyes shining with tears she refused to let fall.

"You and I have seen some of the darkest things this world has to offer and we've experienced some of the good things, too. We both know that neither one of us is perfect, having faced some of the worst and the best together. There is no one I want by my side to face the dark and cherish the good with than you. Abby," he took the ring off the pedestal and held it in offering to her. "Will you marry me?"

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	3. Isn’t this nice? The family together for...

**Something to Cherish  
an _ER_-based fan fiction  
by: Joycelyn Solo**

~~~~~~~~~~~~  
**Author's note: **I'm pleased as punch that everyone seems to be enjoying this endeavor so much. The reviews have been great and I only hope that I can keep writing to your expectations.

**Disclaimer: **_ER_ and characters all belong to someone far more talented -- and richer -- than me. This story is meant for the amusement enjoyment of fans such as myself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Chapter** **Three**

"Madam? Master John has arrived."

Millicent Carter looked up from the book she held in her lap and acknowledge Alger. "Thank you. Please tell my son and his wife that dinner will commence shortly."

As the butler turned away, Millicent couldn't' help the wide smile that spread across her elegant features. The smile had become a near-constant fixture since her grandson, named for her dear late husband like her son before him, had informed her of his plans to ask for Abby's hand in marriage. She was almost as excited as she had been when the first John Carter proposed to her.

And when John asked for her help in surprising Abby, Millicent couldn't fight the schoolgirl glee she felt. It was no secret that she was never entirely pleased with her son's choice of bride, but the Carter matriarch couldn't have chosen better for her grandson.

Abby Lockhart was an intelligent and independent woman who didn't back down from any fight or shy away from pulling her weight. In fact, she reminded Millicent of another Carter-bride-to-be.

Abby was everything she could have wanted for her grandson and she looked forward to welcoming the young woman to the family.

Leaving the study, Millicent sighed inwardly as her son, Jack, came from the library and his wife, Eleanor, descended the stairs. Even when they were both in the same room, rarely were her son and daughter-in-law "together." She could only hope that neither of them would do anything to taint John's chance at happiness.

"Good evening, Mother." Jack greeted, kissing his mother on the cheek. "I take it my wayward son and his guest have arrived?"

Millicent shrugged delicately, her face not betraying anything as she offered her arm for her son to lead her to the dining room.

* * *

Abby looked down at the ring on her finger and back up at the man who had given it to her. She really couldn't believe how much had happened in the last hour -- disbelieving that it had only been that long since John had blindfolded her and taken her to the Museum.

As she entered the dining room on his arm, she could tell by the less-than-discreet smile on Millicent Carter's face that she knew exactly why John had been late to dinner.

And, judging by the dour expressions on both his parents' faces, Abby could tell they had no idea what their son had been up to.

After seating Abby, John walked around the table, kissing both Gamma and his mother on the cheek, before taking his place across the table.

"Isn't this nice?" Millicent asked, breaking the silence that descended onto the table. "The family together for an evening meal."

"A late evening meal." Jack amended, a mild hint of humor affecting his voice as he looked pointedly at his son.

"Speaking of family, actually," John said, standing as he spoke. "I would like to say something before we begin eating."

Eleanor and Jack looked at him expectantly. Millicent looked at Abby and smiled warmly.

"Gamma. Mom. Dad." he began, locking eyes with Abby as he addressed his family. "Tonight I asked Abby to marry me."

He looked expectantly at his parents.

They returned his stare before fixing their attention on Abby and, more importantly, the ring she wore.

"I assume from the presence of your grandmother's ring on her finger, Abby has accepted." Eleanor stated, her gaze touching momentarily on Millicent.

Ignoring the ice in his mother's tone, John smiled widely. "Much to my surprise, yes, Abby accepted."

Hiding his shock -- and trying to cover for his wife's lack of etiquette -- Jack Carter announced, "This calls for celebration. Alger --"

Before he was able to finish his request, the faithful Carter butler appeared at his elbow with a bottle of chilled champagne.

"You knew about this, Millicent?" Eleanor asked, more accusation than question in her voice.

Millicent didn't bother to keep the pleased smile from her face.

"John," Jack announced as he stood with a glass of champagne in his hand. "I wish you and Abby all the happiness that marri --" he looked at his wife and decided to rephrase his toast, "-- that life can bless you with. Congratulations."

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	4. How do you feel about a trip to Vegas?

**Something to Cherish  
an _ER_-based fan fiction  
by: Joycelyn Solo**

~~~~~~~~~~~~  
**Author's note: **I hope this is a filling chapter and can tie you over for a couple days. Feel free to snack on other fan fics in the meantime. Thanks for all the great reviews so far!

**Disclaimer: **_ER_ and characters all belong to someone far more talented -- and richer -- than me. This story is meant for the amusement enjoyment of fans such as myself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Chapter** **Four**

Saturday afternoon found Abby and John lounging in her living room amid various bridal magazines, a _Martha Stewart Wedding Planner_, and their respective calendars as they prepared for the first step toward their nuptials: setting the date.

"The question is 'how soon do we want to be married'." Abby stated, taking a _Modern Bride_ out of John's hands.

He waggled his eyebrows. "Does tomorrow work for you?"

"Unless you're planning a trip to Vegas, I don't think tomorrow's going to work." Abby flipped the calendar -- a full-size _Hello, Kitty_ she'd received from her secret Santa -- a month ahead.

"How do you feel about a trip to Vegas?" he asked.

"I don't think your grandmother would be real happy about that."

"It's _our_ wedding, Abby."

"I know." She looked again at the heirloom ring on her finger. "But...I don't know. It's not like me at all, but I kind of like the idea of a big wedding. Besides, Millicent wants to go all out for her favorite grandson."

"You're going to be part of the family soon. You can call her 'Gamma'."

"I don't think I'm quite ready for that, Carter."

"You can also start calling me 'John' at some point if you want."

She smiled impishly. "There are a lot of things I can start calling you if I want."

"I get the feeling you're not thinking along the lines of 'sweetheart' and 'honey'?"

Her smile grew wider as she focused her attention on the calendar. "So, when do you have in mind?"

"Subtle way to drastically change the subject." 

"It's a gift."

"Okay then." John took the calendar from her, raising an eyebrow at the site of the cartoon kitten. "How much planning time do we need?" 

"Considering your family's connections, I don't think there will be a problem with most of the booking." She leaned back and looked thoughtful. "You're mother offered to help."

John was genuinely surprised, if the offer to help was sincere. With the friction between his parents, Eleanor had been distant from her son as of late -- more so than usual. Perhaps this was an extension of the olive branch to the new couple.

Or, and he hated to admit it, perhaps his mother had a grander scheme in mind. He loved her, of course, because she was his mother. But there was no denying that most anything she did was for the benefit of her own interests. 

"How do you feel about her offer?" John leaned back and wrapped an arm around Abby to draw her close.

Abby shrugged, bumping his arm as she did. "There are a lot of things I don't know about your family that I'm sure she can help me with. But --"

"You don't know how sincere her offer is, either."

"Carter, she's your mother but..." She frowned. "Well, sometimes I don't know if she likes anyone."

He smiled. "Abby, she's my mother. I know she doesn't like anyone." He planted a kiss on top of her head. "If you want to ask her for help, go right ahead. But just make sure she doesn't get carried away. This is _our_ wedding."

"If this is '_our _wedding,' why don't you keep an eye on your mother?" She poked him playfully in the side.

"So...what about December? That gives us two months."

"Uh-huh. Now who's making a drastic attempt to change the subject?"

John's eyebrows rose in mock indignation. "I don't know what you mean."

She shook her head at him and flipped the calendar ahead another month. "We could do a Christmas ceremony. Frank could wear his Santa costume and give me away."

He wrestled the calendar away from her and threw it behind the couch, grabbing the next year -- a _Barbie_ calendar he'd grabbed at the last minute when they bought the magazines and the wedding planner -- off the coffee table. "Is the lady free in January?"

"That's probably not a good idea. That's when the nurses all have to attend hospital training. Three weeks of hospital administration telling us how to do our jobs."

"And onto the next month." John turned the page again, his features freezing momentarily as he saw the hearts displayed on the second weekend of the month.

"John..." Abby placed a hand lightly on his arm. Since that fateful night, Valentine's was a day to be ignored in his presence. "Let's skip onto March." She moved to turn the page, but was stalled by his hand on hers.

"No, Abby, it's okay." He looked at her. "What do you think?"

She gave him a look. "About what?"

"It's the start to our new life together, a time to put the past behind us." He pointed to the hearts. "Let's get married on Valentine's Day."

"Are you sure?" she asked. "You get upset over cards and chocolates -- are you ready for a full-blown celebration?"

He let out a deep breath and took her hands in his. "I can't hide from what happened forever, but being with you has given me strength I never knew existed. With you by my side, I can face anything." He kissed her briefly on the lips. "We can face anything."

"Can Frank dress as Cupid and give me away?" Abby joked lamely, still not sure if she thought he was ready for this. Yes, it had been three years since he was stabbed -- but to take a step like this...

John interrupted her train of thought with another kiss. "I want to do this, Abby. To begin our new life, I need to be in control of mine. I can't let what happened haunt me forever, instead I want to find a reason to celebrate February 14 rather than fear it."

She looked thoughtful, her gaze going from his face -- with his determination and strength apparent in his features -- to the calendar -- a picture of Barbie and Ken smiling at her amidst a myriad of hearts.

"And if you really want Frank walk you down the aisle in a diaper..." 

She laughed and slugged him playfull in the shoulder. "I actually think I can make it down the aisle by myself, thank you." She looked at him, lost again in the depths of his eyes and the determination she saw there. "Okay," she said, "Valentine's Day it is."

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	5. Well, if it isn’t the blushing bride

**Something to Cherish  
an _ER_-based fan fiction  
by: Joycelyn Solo**

~~~~~~~~~~~~  
**Author's note: **Nothing notable for the author to say, so on with the Chapter...

**Disclaimer: **_ER_ and characters all belong to someone far more talented -- and richer -- than me. This story is meant for the amusement enjoyment of fans such as myself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Chapter** **Five**

A cool autumn breeze tugged at Abby's pony tail as she walked through the ambulance bay. 

She smiled at Susan Lewis, sitting on the bench enjoying the waning rays of the afternoon.

Susan looked up at her approach, a wide grin on her face. "Well, if it isn't the blushing bride." 

A frown creased Abby's brow. "He told you?"

At Susan's nod, Abby frowned harder. "We were going to tell people together." 

"I forced him to tell me why he had that goofy grin on his face." Susan shrugged in apology. "It was starting to make some of the patients uncomfortable."

"And how many people have you told?"

"None..." Susan looked away as her voice trailed off, but then she admitted guiltily, "Okay, one. I was just so excited that I told Jerry."

"You told Jerry? We don't even need to put an announcement in the paper, now."

Susan had the decency to look sheepish, but it didn't last long and she stood up to follow Abby into the hospital. 

"Are you gonna show me the ring? Knowing Carter's family it's gotta be..."

Abby held up her hand.

"Wow."

"I know."

"Too bad you and Carter were already together when I came back to Chicago."

Abby stopped in front of the door to the Staff Lounge, but before she could respond, the door opened and she was pulled into the break area by Lydia, Randi, and Jing-Mei.

"Tell us all about it." Haleh lead her toward the table. "Details girl, we want details."

"Did you set the date?" Randi asked.

Jing-Mei sat down. "What type of gown are you going to wear?"

"Where's the honeymoon gonna be?"

"Ladies, you're getting ahead of yourselves." Susan held up Abby's hand. "Don't forget the Carter jewels."

Randi's gum snapped as she stared at the ring. "That's some rock." 

"Those are some _rocks_, plural." Jing-Mei corrected her. 

"Wow," Lydia breathed.

"That's what I said." Susan pulled up a chair and joined the other women at the table. "Now, Abby, dish."

Abby opened her mouth to start answering their questions but was interrupted when Michael Gallant strode in, heading toward his locker.

He seemed unaware of their presence, but apparently the feel of five pairs of eyes on his back was enough to make him turn around. He gave them a questioning look. "What's going on?"

Susan answered first. "I'm on break." 

"I'm on my way home." said Lydia.

Jing-Mei grabbed a disposable cup off the counter. "I'm getting some coffee."

"I'm pumping Abby for wedding details." said Randi. 

"Who's getting married?" Gallant asked, and then saw the ring on her finger -- surprised that he hadn't noticed it upon first entering the room considering its size -- and rephrased his question, "You and Dr. Carter are getting married?"

Abby nodded, a smile spreading across her face. She couldn't help it. Even though they were in the middle of discussing the wedding, the fact that she was actually marrying John Carter was kind of a pleasant shock to get used to. 

"Congratulations to both of you." he returned to his locker and quickly exchanged his jacket for lab coat and stethoscope. "I'll let you ladies get back to what you were doing."

"I have to get to work, too." Abby said, looking at her watch. "You'll get all the details you want when Carter and I send out invitations."

"At least we're invited." Lydia patted Abby's hand as she stood. "Congratulations, Abby."

"Yeah, congrats, Abby." Randi snapped her gum, she giving the bride-to-be a smile.

"And don't forget that we'll be throwing your bachelorette party." Jing-Mei added.

Haleh placed a motherly hand on her shoulder. "We're glad to see you're happy. But," she lowered her voice conspiratorially, "you just let us girls know if he makes you unhappy."

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End file.
